Today’s special guest is novelist K. L. Brady and we’re chatting about her new Christmas romantic comedy, The Nick Before Christmas.
During her virtual book tour, K. L. will be giving away a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn participant. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!
Bio:
K. L. Brady is a D.C. native but spent a number of her formative years in the Ohio Valley. Her writing career started in the pages of diaries when she was 7 or 8 years old. But it wasn’t until her 40th birthday and an Oprah “Live Your Best Life” moment that she finally answered her calling and wrote her first novel–The Bum Magnet. The originally self-published novel was picked up by Simon & Schuster in a two-book deal, and K.L. hasn’t looked back since, penning the follow-up, Got a Right to Be Wrong and self-publishing the first books in two young adult series and a spy thriller series based on her 20+-year career in the U.S. Intelligence Community.
She has a B.A. in Economics, an MBA, and is a member of Romance Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. She’s addicted to writing and chocolate—not necessarily in that order—and currently lives in the Washington D.C. area with her son. She is hard at work completing unfinished series and follow-ups.
Welcome, K. L. Please tell us about your current release.
As she reaches her 50th birthday, the main character, Nickie, is ultimately threatened by her “guardian angel” to pursue her second act, the life that will make her truly happy. Generation X’ers may relate to the quest for a second act. Personally, as a Gen X’er, I’ve spent my life trying to reach a level of success and comfort- the house, the car, the kids, the dog, and taking care of Boomer parents as they age. Many of my generation look at our professional lives and realize that professional and financial success doesn’t always mean we’re “happy.” A paraphrased saying suggests that if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. Many people don’t want to retire – they want to stop working. She grappled with the question: Is it worth taking steps backward after you’ve spent most of your life setting a foundation to move forward? I’ve explored the idea of this, for sure. Nickie’s quest for the second act puts her on a crash course with Jordan, “the one who got away,” which drives the romantic element in the story. Sometimes, the hardest part of the downfall of any relationship is admitting your role in the demise.
What inspired you to write this book?
The Nick Before Christmas was really inspired by a couple of life events. The first was my quest for my own second act about ten years ago. All my life I had wanted to be a fiction writer, but I kept talking myself out of it, telling myself I wasn’t qualified, didn’t have the skills to write a book, let alone a book that people would actually read. So, I dedicated all of my energy to my day job which was research and writing for a law enforcement agency. Fast forward to a breakup from a “the one,” I finally did what I convinced myself I couldn’t do—wrote a book. At that time, it was very cathartic and helped me to heal after a major heartbreak. What started out as cathartic turned out to be a second act that I never knew I needed. I’ve been writing books ever since. The second was my mom’s passing – she died six weeks after I found out she was sick, and I never got to say goodbye. This book allowed me that goodbye in a way that I think was authentic to my relationship with my mother. She was funny. She was Christmas crazy. She is missed—every single day.
Excerpt from The Nick Before Christmas:
Sasha approached…and based on the sound of footsteps, she wasn’t alone.
“Nickie? Uh….You have company?”
“Who?”
Into the threshold stepped Evan…and Jordan, both carrying sizeable brown shopping bags scented with contents that smelled a whole lot like dinner.
Evan ghosted her for weeks, dropped off the radar. J. Dev blew her off and was off parading with Ava, or so she thought. Now both stood in her living room, in the flesh, at the same time. She had no idea how to handle this. Nickie had never been a juggler so two potential courters in her presence, in her house, wasn’t a situation she expected to face. She couldn’t have orchestrated this cluster if she tried.
Their faces sapped the air out of her lungs. Laying the blame on Sasha wasn’t an option.
Her stomach growled, reminding of her greatest need in the moment. If worse comes to worst, Nickie pledged to keep the dinner and cannoli…and dump the two unexpected guests.
“Jordan, Evan…what a surprise to welcome you…both…in my living room…right now,” Nickie said, her eye volleying between them so as not to give one more attention than the other.
Evan glanced at Jordan without speaking a single word, and Jordan returned the favor. She suspected each was eager to learn what the other had to say.
What exciting project are you working on next?
A new Christmas romance called, Sincerely, Santa. It really explores forgiveness at Christmas time—which, at the core of it, is really the reason for the season. Sometimes, we can be more forgiving of others than we are ourselves…and we have to live with us. Sincerely, Santa centers around a character, Julia Reed, who has a difficult time forgiving herself for a mistake she made when she was a kid. She gifts wishes to kids for Christmas and fulfills their wishes to Santa, but she doesn’t celebrate Christmas for herself. It takes a new guy in town, who is also struggling with his own version of self-forgiveness, to help her realize the err of her ways. The two main characters, the besties – Julia and Fran — are named after my mother and grandmother who were besties in real life at the end of their lives.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Not until I neared the big 4-0. Writing was a “second act” for me. I didn’t have the courage to pursue until I endured some lifechanging heartbreak. I channeled all that pain into writing my first book in about three months. I titled it, “The Bum Magnet.” It’s a miracle that something so funny could come out of something so painful. It was inspired by true events, but there’s a whole lot of fiction in that book intermingled with a lot of truth. I suppose that’s why it still resonates with readers. I wrote it about 10 years ago and still receive emails and invitations to discuss it.
Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your workday like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I have a 9 to 5 job, but I consider writing my 5 to 9 job. I’m also a mom and being a mother is a 24/7/365 job. So, I’ve been triple employed for as long as I’ve been writing fiction. At one time, I could call myself a full-time writer because of all the hours I invested during the workday and on weekends. As I’ve grown older, I just don’t have the energy.
I’m a proposal strategist for my 9 to 5 job – I work for a major government contractor and my whole job is to figure out ways to help my company win new work from government agencies. I’ve helped them win work into the billions of dollars, so it’s safe I’m pretty good at what I do, but I work really long hours. Although I’m good at my 9 to 5 and I do love it, my true joy is writing fiction.
How do I find time to write?
Well, I write before and after work. I’m usually awake at 4:00 am. I swim at 5 am. Write from 6:30 to 8 am. If I have time and energy, I’ll write after work. Usually, I write new words in the morning, and I’ll edit in the evening…that way I can use my creative energy in the morning while it’s plentiful and before I’m spent in the evenings.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I’m an Aquarian and an introvert. I’m the walking definition of quirk, I think. As for my writing quirks, I own every writing tool known to man—Freewrites, digital notebooks, paper notebooks, whatever– and I switch between them as I need to stay energized and excited about the writing process. I allow myself to change places and tools as they align with my energy, so I’m generally never in the same place twice with the same tool. Writers are usually creatures of habit, and they do the exact opposite of what I described. This is my rebel nature.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be an actress or an author when I grew up. I used to practice my signature, so that I would be ready to sign autographs at a moment’s notice. The signature I use to sign books today is very close to the one I used to practice writing when I was a kid. As I think back on it now, it feels rather insane given I’m extremely shy (too shy for acting), and I didn’t have enough confidence to be a writer.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Thank you for joining the book tour. I can’t even begin to express my gratitude for those who take time out of their busy schedules to read more about my work and my latest project. Don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter if you want to stay updated on my new releases (or my love of Christmas movies or my dog or my latest home DIY projects or…you get the picture).
Links:
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Bookbub | Amazon | Goodreads
Thank you so much for hosting today and featuring K.L. Brady!
Sounds like a great read.
Thank you so much for stopping by. I believe that this is a read that will leave you uplifted and hopeful.
I like the cover. Looks great. Sounds like a good great.
Thank you! The cover has real meaning for the book. Especially that angel you see the character gazing at. I hope you’ll pick it up and check it out.
Do you have a favorite character from this book?
Great question. My favorite character…well, I love Nick. But I think Jordan Devilin, one of Nickie’s love interests, is probably my favorite. He is so misunderstood and because of that, he means well for people that don’t necessarily believe that about him. He’s the man who should be arrogant and looks like he’s arrogant, but he’s not who he seems. I love the impact he has on Nickie in her second act.
This looks like a book I would enjoy.
Thank you! I hope you’ll pick it up. It is so uplifting and it will give readers food for thought about their own lives and their own journeys. That’s probably my biggest hope for this story–that it inspires action and second acts.
How do you choose what to write next?
I usually don’t choose the story. The story chooses me. I’ll get an idea and it will nag at me until I write it. The hard part is usually finishing, not necessarily starting.
I love your “what did you wanna grow up to be” answer. Is writing your full-time job?